How to Slow the Ripening of Tomatoes
The tomato fruit is consumed in diverse ways, including raw, as an ingredient in many dishes and sauces, and in drinks. While it is botanically a fruit, it is considered a vegetable for culinary...
View ArticleProduction of Ylang-ylang Essential Oil
The Ylang-ylang tree belongs to the family Anonaceae. It is scientifically known as Cananga odorata. It is a strong tree that reaches a maximum height of about 65 feet. The tree is cultivated for its...
View ArticleSago Starch a Viable Alternative to Wheat Starch
DOST-TRC to Explore Cheaper Flour Substitute From Sago After a new round of oil price increases, news of cheaper pandesal from locally abundant flour alternative is a welcome respite. This was the...
View ArticleRubber Tree Production Guide
The natural rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) is a native of South America introduced to Southeast Asia during the 19th century. Rubber trees can grow to a height of 18 to 39 meters and they grow best...
View ArticleGrowing Mangosteen for Business
Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana Linn of the family Gutiiferae) is one of the most delicious and best flavored fruits in the world. It is one tropical fruit that is most ready accepted by the Western....
View ArticleGinger Production Guide
Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) is popular tor its distinct sharp and hot flavor due to an oily substance called gingerol. It is known as ‘luya’ in Tagalog, ‘shoga’ (Japanese), ‘chiang’ (Chinese),...
View ArticleCoconut Production Guide
The coconut industry in the Philippines plays a key role in shaping national development. It is among the top ten export produce of the country as exhibited by the good export performance of both...
View ArticleBaby Corn Production Guide
Young cob corn (Zea mays L.), the newly developed corn, has been used by Chinese as vegetable for generations and this practice has spread to other Asian countries. It is used as ingredient in most...
View ArticleHow to Make Tea Manure (Organic Fertilizer)
Tea Manure (TM) is the resulting tea after soaking partially dried sheep, cow or horse manure in water for one week. These contain all major nutrients in small quantities but are rich in trace elements...
View ArticleHow to Make Fermented Fruit Juice or FFJ
Fermented Fruit Juice or FFJ is made from sweet ripe fruits, fruit vegetables and root crops. Thoroughly blended with crude sugar or molasses and stored for a short period of time, the fermented...
View ArticlePatola (Luffa Gourd) Production Guide
Ridged gourd or angled Luffa gourd (Luffa acutangula) and smooth gourd (Luffa cylindrica) are commonly called patola among the Tagalogs and locally known as kabatiti among the Ilocanos and Ibanags. A...
View ArticleHow to Delay the Ripening of Banana
Bananas (also other fruits and vegetables) emits gas called “ethylene.” The presence of this gas inside the enclosed bags when transported for shipment coupled with high temperature hasten the fruit’s...
View ArticleHow to Grow Gabi
Gabi is one of the major rootcrops grown throughout the country. It can be grown almost anywhere, upland or lowland. Land preparation and planting: 1. Plow the field twice to loosen the soil. 2. Harrow...
View ArticleRecycle Eggshells as Fertilizers
Eggshells can be used as fertilizers, cement and tile binder and paste ingredient after grinding them finely. They contain calcium, phosphorus, potassium and sulfur which makes plants robust and...
View ArticleBio-Control of Crop Diseases
Many of our local plants contain helpful chemicals, particularly alkaloids, that are effective against fungal and bacterial diseases of other plants. Thus, they are mixed with the soil to control the...
View ArticleSweet Potato Production Guide
There is one way of planting sweet potato (camote) that has been tried that can make it yield 20% more than the ordinary way of planting. In the manner tried, the stems to be planted are taken from...
View ArticleCassava Production Guide
Cassava can be a long term plant, from six months to two years depending upon the use it is intended for. Although this grows anywhere that the soil is loose and not water logging, and rich, farmers do...
View ArticleHow to Make Fermented Plant Juice or FPJ
Fermented Plant Juice or FPJ is made from axillary buds and young fruits, fast growing plants, young leaves of plants and grasses. Mixed with crude sugar or molasses, the juice is extracted and...
View ArticleCreative Innovation from Tree Roots
Traditionally, materials used include premium hardwoods such as narra, tindalo, akle and ipil. These species used to abound in the Philippine forest. Because suitable wood materials are scarce, there...
View ArticleVarnish from Almaciga Resin
Resin from Agathis philippinensis (Almaciga or Dayungon) is a good material for varnish according to researchers at the Forest Products Research and Development Institute in Los Baños. Several formulas...
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